Gryllodes sigillatus: Yet another feeder cricket

[drillman]

Here is the link to the following page at Ghann's Cricket Farm.Ghann's Cricket Farm :: Gryllus Info


Gryllus Assimilis Information

Gryllus assimilis OUT...

Gryllodes sigillatus IN!

Updated 8/6/2012

For over a year now we have been working to commercialize the cricket species Gryllus assimilis as a viable feeder insect for the herp industry. This was in response to the cricket virus AdDNV (Acheta domesticus Densovirus) that over the last few years has significantly impacted the supply of Acheta domesticus in the USA and Canada (and England, and Europe...).

Over the last few months we have come to the realization that while Gryllus assimilis has shown to be a good feeder insect, it possesses some characteristics that prevent it from be commercially viable (slower growth times, lower yields, etc). To say it plainly, it costs too much to produce.

We are now focusing our efforts on a cricket that has been produced and sold with success in the UK and Europe - the "Banded Cricket" - (Gryllodes sigillatus).

We have been rearing the Banded Cricket for several months now, and so far we believe it will prove to be much more commercially viable than the Gryllus assimilis. We hope to have "Bandeds" for sale by early fall. Meanwhile, we are still producing and selling Gryllus assimilis, and outsourcing Acheta domesticus as necessary to meet demand.

Please check this page often for updates.

Ghann's has been a leading producer of crickets for the herp industry since 1952, and we look forward to continuing to lead the way into the future as our industry continues to go through this transition process.

--
Regards,

Clay Ghann
President/CEO
Ghann’s Cricket Farm, Inc.

 

[danscantle]

I've been breeding this cricket for over 6 years to feed my collection, and this is by far the most superior cricket out there. They are bullet proof, long-lived, more productive than Acheta, and do not seem to have ANY taste for animal flesh. Bye-bye fruit flies (these stay small for longer). Bye-bye nasty Acheta smell (these have a more earthy smell with overcrowded). Bye-bye Acheta noise (these have a gentle twill).

These should also lower the cost of crickets, given their reproductive capabilities and ease of care. Don't let vendors tell you otherwise.

 

[drillman]

I've been breeding this cricket for over 6 years to feed my collection, and this is by far the most superior cricket out there. They are bullet proof, long-lived, more productive than Acheta, and do not seem to have ANY taste for animal flesh. Bye-bye fruit flies (these stay small for longer). Bye-bye nasty Acheta smell (these have a more earthy smell with overcrowded). Bye-bye Acheta noise (these have a gentle twill).

These should also lower the cost of crickets, given their reproductive capabilities and ease of care. Don't let vendors tell you otherwise.

Are you breeding Gryllodes sigillatus and saying they are superior to Acheta domesticus? Or are you breeding Gryllus assimilis? Just want to know which ones are the better of the 3. I don't want to put a lot time and effort into breeding the wrong cricket. I would need the larger size crickets for Tokay geckos, not the fruit fly size crickets.

 

[danscantle]

I have been breeding Gryllodes. They are slightly smaller than Acheta as adults, but my point with the fruit fly comment is that Gryllodes has a slower lifespan, so they stay pinhead-sized for ~10days longer than Acheta (even longer at cooler temperatures). This means it's possible to have appropriately sized crickets on hand for longer than you could with Acheta.

 

[charlie476]

I agree with Dan ive been raising them before they became commercially available in the US. They are a very good cricket. Those Gryllus are mean crickets. I saw personally with my own eyes their taste for flesh.

I can only see Gryllodes sigillatus becoming more and more popular as a cricket choice

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

30 October 2012 link

Ghann's Cricket Farm :: New Crickets Are Here!

 

[JMDaniels]

These crickets are looking like keepers. I'm glad they found something better than the Gryllus...wonder why it took the U.S. so long to catch on? European suppliers have always had much more variety when it comes to feeders, or at least it seems that way.

 

[thorrshamri]

I have used this species of cricket for long, they are readily available in Europe. They are about the size of small A. domestica as adults but less noisy and less smelly. Geckos eat them just as readily as any other cricket species. The only thing is that they are more fragile than other crickets when you want to remove their hind legs, they are also more prone to escape as they jump like crazy compared to other cricket species.

Grillons Sigillatus - acheter des insectes vivant, grillons sigillatus - La Cigale - GFM - LA CIGALE

To me, they are ok for fast-moving, active geckos, but not for slow sit-and-wait geckos such as Uroplatus or leopard geckos, and are way too small even as adults for tokays and AFTs.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I have used this species of cricket for long, they are readily available in Europe. They are about the size of small A. domestica as adults but less noisy and less smelly. Geckos eat them just as readily as any other cricket species. The only thing is that they are more fragile than other crickets when you want to remove their hind legs, they are also more prone to escape as they jump like crazy compared to other cricket species.

Grillons Sigillatus - acheter des insectes vivant, grillons sigillatus - La Cigale - GFM - LA CIGALE

To me, they are ok for fast-moving, active geckos, but not for slow sit-and-wait geckos such as Uroplatus or leopard geckos, and are way too small even as adults for tokays and AFTs.

Your details are much appreciated .

 

[MauricesExoticPets]

Sounds perfect for your mourning geckos Elizabeth.

Maurice Pudlo

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Sounds perfect for your mourning geckos Elizabeth.

Maurice Pudlo

:biggrin: Have you bred those Maurice? Soon to try my hand again at breeding Drosophila hydei! Culture waiting inland as I type.

 

[MauricesExoticPets]

I have not, but I may have to take a stab at them myself, they seem nearly ideal for some of my critters and I like the reports of being less noisy, though my wife does like the sound of house crickets.

Maurice Pudlo

 

[Ingo]

It took me six years to get rid of that pest, which multiplied like crazy in my herp room.
In high densities they DO eat lizard eggs and attack hatchlings. The chirping can also be quite annoying.
The first generation I bought was small in size and quite silent, but already the next generation grew much bigger (slightly smaller than house crickets) and was much much louder!
I will never never never again let one of these enter my house!!!

 

[thorrshamri]

It took me six years to get rid of that pest, which multiplied like crazy in my herp room.
In high densities they DO eat lizard eggs and attack hatchlings. The chirping can also be quite annoying.
The first generation I bought was small in size and quite silent, but already the next generation grew much bigger (slightly smaller than house crickets) and was much much louder!
I will never never never again let one of these enter my house!!!

Very interesting...and scary, Ingo!
So far I have only ordered them then given them to geckos once gutloaded. I admit I prefer domestic crickets as they are less prone to escape and also bigger.
Now I have never tried to breed them. Thanks for bringing up this very valuable warning!

 

[MauricesExoticPets]

It took me six years to get rid of that pest, which multiplied like crazy in my herp room.
In high densities they DO eat lizard eggs and attack hatchlings. The chirping can also be quite annoying.
The first generation I bought was small in size and quite silent, but already the next generation grew much bigger (slightly smaller than house crickets) and was much much louder!
I will never never never again let one of these enter my house!!!

Sounds perfect to me ;-)

Prolific and hard to get rid of.

Maurice Pudlo